The undying loyalty of pets

For many, the most meaningful thing they will share their casket with is a beloved pet.

In Western society it is something that would not have been considered fifty years ago, but now it is a more popular request.

"We've buried or cremated animals with people," Ms Hassan said.

"We've got a dog here at the moment that died and has been cremated, so we've got the dog's ashes and he is to go in with his owner when he eventually passes away."

There have even been cases where the decision is made for a pet to be euthanised so that their soul can depart alongside their human companion.

"We've had an occasion where a woman died after a long illness and her cat was quite elderly as well, and really mourned for her basically after she died, so the family made the decision to have the cat put to sleep and the cat was placed in with her," Ms Hassan said.

What's legal?

Despite the laws surrounding coffin material and requirements being quite clear, Ms Hassan said there was little red tape in Australia around what people could be buried with.

She said cremations were a slightly different story.

"With cremation there is a bit of a limitation. We prefer no glass to be in there because of the way glass melts at high temperature. And anything with a battery," Ms Hassan said.

"Obviously batteries and cremators and high temperatures are not compatible. So we would normally remove the batteries before the cremation takes place."

"We've seen some spectacular decorations on a coffin. We've got a beautiful one in our back shed at the moment. It's been personally hand painted by a lady's daughter who's an artist," Ms Hassan said.

"We just did one yesterday where the family took the coffin — just a very basic white coffin — and decorated it with beautiful photos of the lady's cats and orchids.

"During the service, the family came up and wrote handwritten notes all over the coffin for her before her committal."

More families are choosing to add colour and character to their loved one's coffin during the funeral service, rather than just beforehand.

"Lots of people like their fishing here so we often buy the rubber fishing lures — obviously without the hook attached — and fill up a basket of fishing lures [which] people scatter on the coffin," Ms Hassan said.

"For musicians we can get bags of guitar picks, which is another popular one."

Some personalised items which are scattered on the coffin are even used as an ice breaker to give mourners a much-needed laugh.

"We've had builders where we've scattered nails — another nail in the coffin, or a couple hundred or so!" Ms Hassan said.

"Mick Pope, who was the instigator of the beach horse races [in Mackay], had his whole casket covered in the beach horse races' logos, and photos of that.

"So again, it can be very personal to the person and it really just takes that personal touch to another level."

A 'proud' send-off

In 2016, Mackay lost the much-loved Mr Pope suddenly following a heart attack.

Mr Pope's partner Chris Evangelou said it took her some time to work out exactly how to personalise his coffin.

"If somebody's unwell and you plan it, it's different. But all of a sudden, if you haven't talked about those things, you have to make decisions based on what is right for all of you people left behind," Ms Evangelou said.

"And, you want to give respect to the person who has just passed.

"I was there when everybody walked in past it [the coffin]. I don't think they quite knew what to think.

"It had all his favourite things on — his beach horse races things, there was a picture of his and my surfboards … and it was colourful.

"Some people burst into tears. Some people cried and then laughed. And I just think it broke the ice for people who were feeling so sad.

Ms Hassan said she hoped the creativity would continue to grow to help bring more light and celebration to what could otherwise be a sombre day.

"I think it makes people more involved with the service, it's more connected," she said.

"Our indigenous cultures and our islander cultures are very much more in touch with death and dying and that end-of-life care than Western society is.

"Having these personal items and the coffin personalised to that person's life just gives that little bit more connection to the service, and to the person themselves, rather than it just being something you attend."